Comparison

Bacterial ID Virtual Lab vs Physics Lab AR

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Bacterial ID Virtual Lab

Explore the science and methods for identifying bacteria using DNA sequences. This interactive virtual lab simulates modern techniques applicable in research and forensics. It's designed for high school biology students and science enthusiasts.

Highlights
  • Learn DNA sequencing techniques
  • Identify different bacteria types
  • Simulates real-world lab methods
  • Applicable to research and forensics
  • Interactive virtual lab environment
Features
Read full description

Learn about the science and techniques used to identify different types of bacteria based on their DNA sequences. Not long ago, DNA sequencing was a time-consuming, tedious process. With readily available commercial equipment and kits, it is now routine. The techniques used in this lab are applicable in a wide variety of settings, including scientific research and forensic labs. This app is geared for high school biology students and anyone interested in the biological sciences. The Bacterial ID Virtual Lab was first released in 2000 as a browser-based interactive lab. Since its inception, it and the other HHMI Virtual Labs have won several awards, including the Pirelli INTERNETional Award's top prize in 2002. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) is a nonprofit medical research organization that ranks as one of the nation’s largest philanthropies. HHMI plays a powerful role in advancing biomedical research and science education. HHMI brings the latest biomedical research into the classroom with the award-winning BioInteractive website and the Holiday Lectures on Science. BioInteractive features free resources for science education, including animations, videos, interactive features, and classroom materials. The Holiday Lectures on Science feature world-class scientists who bring their leading-edge research to the classroom.

About

Physics Lab AR

Explore physics through interactive virtual experiments and augmented reality. Build and test electrical circuits with over 100 components, visualize electromagnetic fields, and even design your own galaxy. Ideal for students, teachers, and curious minds of all ages.

Highlights
  • Virtual lab with AR mode
  • Build 3D electric circuits
  • 100+ circuit components
  • Precise scientific calculations
  • Electromagnetic field visualization
  • Design custom galaxies
Features
Read full description

Are you a curious student eager to explore deeper into the physics world? Are you a science enthusiast who wants to share your ideas with others? Are you an adventurer bounded by textbook instructions and budget limits? Are you a romantic dreaming of having your own customized galaxy? Are you a teacher who wants to use fun and interactive demonstrations in your physics lessons? Learn science by doing experiments in your virtual lab with Physics Lab. With our new AR mode, you can even bring your experiments to life! In Physics Lab, you can play with various circuit components, build your own 3D electric circuits, and see how they work in real time. With 100+ circuit components to choose from (and more coming soon), the possibilities are endless. Plus, all of our experiments are backed by science and calculated with precise numbers, so you can learn and have fun at the same time. Physics Lab is not only for students, but for teachers too! Use it to demonstrate experiments in class, and help your students learn and explore in a new way. And because it's virtual, you don't have to worry about expensive lab equipment or safety concerns. Explore with freedom - Pick from 100+ circuit components (more coming!) - Drag them from the toolbox to the virtual desk and connect them the way you like - All experiment results are backed by science and calculated in precise numbers - Design your own galaxy or load from our solar system - Electromagnetic experiments with field line visualization Better than real life - Set properties of circuit components to different figures and observe changes of behavior and stats in real time - One-click to turn what you have built into an editable circuit diagram and vice versa - No expenses on lab equipments, no worry about safety issues A lab for everyone - Teachers have been using Physics Lab to demonstrate experiments and assist teaching in class - Students, in primary or high schools, can learn science and explore freely anywhere, anytime - Kids or not, curious minds now have their own virtual lab to learn knowledge by doing experiments Whether you're a teacher, student, or just someone who loves learning about physics, Physics Lab has something for everyone. Connect with us and let us know what you think, and check out our subscription options to access even more experiments and components. We can't wait to see what you create! Email: turtlesim@u.northwestern.edu =========================== Concerning Component Subscription During your subscription period, you will have access to all paid components for free, including future ones. 1) Subscription periods are one month long and will be charged to your iTunes Account at the time of purchase. 2) Your subscription is linked to your Physics Lab account. 3) You will be charged for renewals 24 hours before the end of the current period, and will be notified of the cost. 4) You can manage your subscriptions at any time in your Account Settings. 5) By purchasing a subscription, you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Terms of Use: https://static.turtlesim.com/products/Term-Of-Use.txt Privacy Policy: https://static.turtlesim.com/products/Privacy-Policy.txt

Screenshots

Physics Lab AR4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Physics Lab AR at 4.7 against Bacterial ID Virtual Lab's 3.7. Physics Lab AR also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 14 months) and ratings volume (1.8K vs 9). Bacterial ID Virtual Lab's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and review sentiment (75% vs 47%). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Physics Lab AR sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Bacterial ID Virtual Lab asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Physics Lab AR holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Physics Lab AR has 1.8K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 75% of Bacterial ID Virtual Lab's written reviews are positive against 47% of Physics Lab AR's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bacterial ID Virtual Lab ships an update every 14 months, Physics Lab AR every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on June 4, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Bacterial ID Virtual Lab versus Physics Lab AR: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBacterial ID Virtual LabPhysics Lab AR
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (9 ratings)4.7 (1.8K ratings) — better
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews — better47.1% of reviews
Number of ratings91.8K — better
Update frequencyEvery 14 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS8.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size21 MB177 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHoward Hughes Medical InstituteTurtle Sim LLC

Customer experience

Bacterial ID Virtual Lab

All ratings9 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative12.5%

Physics Lab AR

All ratings1,811 ratings
Positive91.4%
Neutral3.8%
Negative4.7%
Written reviews121 reviews
Positive47.1%
Neutral7.4%
Negative45.5%

Bugs and requests

Bacterial ID Virtual Lab

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Physics Lab AR

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • App crashes when opening experiments or circuits
  • Wires don't attach properly
  • Objects fall through the table
  • Camera position issues
  • App freezes or becomes unresponsive

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add more components like transistors and potentiometers
  • Improve camera controls and view options
  • Implement saving and loading of circuits
  • Add more tutorials and explanations
  • Support for Vietnamese and other languages
Show 1 more
  • Improve stability and reduce crashes

In-app purchases

None

Bacterial ID Virtual Lab

No in-app purchases

7 purchases

Physics Lab AR

Subscriptions1
  • Monthly Component Subscription$1.491 Month
One-time6
  • 60 Diamonds$0.99
  • 10 Diamonds$0.99
  • 120 Diamonds$1.99
Show 3 more
  • 300 Diamonds$4.99
  • 680 Diamonds$9.99
  • 1280 Diamonds$19.99

Questions

Is Bacterial ID Virtual Lab free?
Bacterial ID Virtual Lab is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Physics Lab AR free?
Physics Lab AR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Bacterial ID Virtual Lab or Physics Lab AR?
Physics Lab AR is rated higher. Bacterial ID Virtual Lab averages 3.7 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Physics Lab AR averages 4.7 from 1.8K ratings.
Do Bacterial ID Virtual Lab or Physics Lab AR have ads?
Neither Bacterial ID Virtual Lab nor Physics Lab AR shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bacterial ID Virtual Lab or Physics Lab AR?
Bacterial ID Virtual Lab ships an update every 14 months, and Physics Lab AR every 2 months. Most recently, Bacterial ID Virtual Lab was updated on June 4, 2026 and Physics Lab AR on September 28, 2026.

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